NEW DELHI, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Three Naxals were killed in a fierce gunfight with a joint contingent of police and Border Security Force (BSF) Sunday in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, police said.
The gunfight between Naxals and government forces broke out in the forest area of Koyalibeda area in Kanker district, about 220 km south of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh.
According to police, the joint contingent of police and BSF launched a search operation in the forest area after receiving intelligence information about the presence of Naxals.
"The gunfight took place in the forest area when a team of the District Reserve Guard of police and BSF were out on an anti-Naxal operation. In the stand-off, three Naxals were killed and their bodies have been recovered," senior police official Indira Kalyan Elesela told media.
Currently, Naxals are active across the central and eastern parts of India.
New Delhi has deployed several companies of its paramilitary forces to take on Naxals in their strongholds.
The insurgency reportedly has claimed hundreds of lives besides rendering thousands of poor inhabitants homeless. ■
